Interdiocesan Tribunal of Second Instance of Southwark - Annual General Meeting 2008

The AGM of the Interdiocesan Tribunal of Second Instance of Southwark (ITSIS) was held in the library at Archbishop's House on Thursday, 21st February 2008.

Each diocese has its own diocesan tribunal, the primary function of which is to deal with applications for the nullity of marriage. The tribunal will apply the precepts of the Code of Canon Law. The bishop appoints judges to hear the cases and these are led by a priest known as the judicial vicar.

But there are also tribunals of second instance, which are appeals tribunals. Usually these have jurisdiction within a province. The Southwark province, where Archbishop Kevin is the Metropolitan, covers the dioceses of Southwark, Arundel and Brighton, Portsmouth and Plymouth. Before 1980, cases from the Southwark province had to be referred to the tribunal of second instance in Westminster. Bishop John Jukes and Mgr Cyril Murtagh travelled to Rome to ask the Apostolic Signatura to establish a tribunal of second instance in the Southwark province. It was established on 26th November 1980. This enabled cases to be heard more speedily.

Bishop Jukes became the Episcopal Delegate to this tribunal. He has retired from this post and Archbishop Kevin has given him the title of Episcopal Delegate Emeritus. Bishop Paul Hendricks has been appointed to take his place. Mgr Cyril Murtagh of the Portsmouth diocese has been a judge with the Interdiocesan Tribunal of Second Instance of Southwark since it was established. At the AGM he announced that he, too, was standing down.

Archbishop Kevin paid tribute to their work and expressed his gratitude to them both.

Archbishop Kevin speaks to the meeting. Father Steven Fisher (in the chair) is the President of ITSIS and Miss June Roberts is the Administrator of ITSIS

Lunch in the dining room at Archbishop's House after the meeting

Monsignor Cyril Murtagh, Provost Emeritus of the Portsmouth diocese, who announced that, at 82, he was stepping down as a  judge of ITSIS

Father Philip Gilbert, Associate Judicial Vicar in Kent, Archbishop Kevin, Monsignor Cyril Murtagh and Father Steven Fisher, President of ITSIS